The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-02

| returns, or tissue ballots numerous boxes to
| deceive and entrap the ignorant. or the destruc-
ton of the boxes, the refusal OF the judges to
! serve-whatever trick means were necessary
TO defeat the right of the Republican voter were
| resorted TO.
THE FORCE BILL AS A REMEDY.
/ General Grant could, under the limitations of
the Constitution. see no remedy. 1t was pro-
posed by the Republicans IN Congress to pass
bill called 1.-The force bill" intended to arm the
| executive authorities with ample power to de-
fend the colored people against these outrages
| passed, but the strong feeling of repugnance
/ against such legislation in the North led many
leading Republicans to vote to delay. postpone,
| and finally TO defeat it. But General Grant, I'M
der existing law, did commence and prosecute
| with diligence and effect some of the worst
cases. especially in South Carolina, where the
| organization and methods of the clans were fully
disclosed by judicial testimony clear that even
| the Hon. Reverdy johnson, the attorney for the
| defendants, said:
! have listened with unmxed horror to some of
! the testimony which has been brought before you
admit of sneher justification; they violate
every obligation which law and nature impose upon
they show that the parties engaged were brutes
Insensihle to the obligations OF humanity and re-
| ligon.
| Some convictions were had and some punish
ments inflicted, but, upon the promise that this
system of terror and crime would not be re-
newed, the prisoners were in due time par
| doned. This not the end of it. General
! Grant re- elected, and soon after. crimes and
| violence were renewed against Republicans, both
white and black in all the cotton States. IL 1875
the House of Representatives had become Dem
ocratic, and in the same year, what is known as
the Mississippi plan was adopted and the Re-
publican vote of that State was absolutely sup
pressed. And again in the presidential election
! of 1876 the offenses were revolving to JUS
tify the returning boards in several States I'M
der the laws of those States in excluding the
votes OF number of counties parishes and dis
trices.
Since 1879 the Republican party did not pos
sess the power to pass any law for the protection
! Of life property in the South, and the Demo-
cratic party would not. 1t can be truly said
that every atrocity, every political crime, vio
| lence or wrong In the South committed by
Democrats and the Democratic party uniformly
refused to examine, prevent or punish in any
case any of these crimes.
j therefore claim for the Republican party that,
while it has not been able to protect the colored
people of the South in the enjoyment OF civil
rights or to guard them by military force from
gross wrong and oppression by the dominant
and controlling physical force of the South act
ing in the name and in the interest of the Demo
cratic party. yet that it has done all that it
could lawfully do, within the limits of the powers
given by the Constitution and the laws, to de-
fend all classes of people, without respect to
race. condition or creed. 1t it has failed in any
particular. it has been because it was prevented
by the policy and power of the Democratic party,
armed with State authority.
In this way, and by crimes so atrocious, the
second rebellion of the Democratic party ia a
success. Republicanism has been stamped out
in the South. Organized and disciplined force,
all free discussion and all remonstrance from
white Republicans, while the freedmen Eeld
in baser subsection by the prejudice of
and by the want of arms and organization, the
inheritance of slavery This condition of affairs
is now hopefully changing. The time has come
when in many of the Southern States and
especially counties where a majority of the
population is white these wrongs and outrages
longer be inflicted, and the time will
come when even in the black belt of the South
the intelligence, education and organization of
the people will enable them to maintain their
rights.
But they are not utterly helpless The power
to migrate wherever injustice is uncomfortable
should be exercised by every man who feels op-
pressed. 1t should be organized by every COM
munity that is wronged, encouraged BY all law
full means. and this will, in my judgment, be
the most potent agency in preventing injustice.
1t is the same right that capital exercises for its
own protection 1t Is the same right which every
laborng in the North enjoys; it is the
same right by which our fathers of every nation
in Europe by migrating to this country, secured
the blessings OF liberty for themselves and their
posterity; it is the first and most powerful
right of freemen. more potent than violence and
more certain than force.
One duty 1 think the Repu blican party has not
yet performed, and that Is that in States where
it is ascertained that free and orderly elections
for Senators and Representatives. in Congress
cannot be had, Congress should assert and exer-
else it's unquestioned power to regulate the
times, places and manner of holding such cleo
tons. This power is clearly conferred upon
Congress as the power to levy taxes or make
war. and, III my judgment the time has arrived
This power has been asserted by the act of 1866.
providing for the election of Senators, and
complaint has ever been made of its constitu-
tionality or expediency. 1t has not been exer-
cised to members of the House of Representa-
tives, from the strong desire to avoid any inter-
ference with popular elections in the States; but
the existence of the power has been affirmed by
the Supreme Court of the United States in the
parte Marlborough and others. and decid-
ed at the October term, 1883, in which the court
said
That government whose essential character is
publican whose executive head ard legislative body
both elective whose most numerous and powerful
branch of the Legislature elected by the people d
rectly has power by appropriate laws to
this election from the influence of violence and
rupton, and of fraud is proposition startling
to arrest attention and command gravest considera
ton. If this government is anything than a
aggregation of delegated agents of other States
and governments, it must have the to protect
the elections which its existence depends from vo-
lence or corruption
In the later days of the Roman Republic the
controlling elements in elections were bribery,
force and corruption. and this the cause of
its fall SO in ours if elections controlled by
the meanest frauds and crimes instead of the
ment. The mission of the Republican party will
never eud until every legal voter cast
honest vote, and no more and have that vote
counted
A vital difference between the two great par
ties is shown in their choice of officers and
agents to conduct the government. The Repub-
great achievements of Union soldiers, ard all
the grand results of the Every measure
1or the peDent Oh Union SOLDIERS received prompt
attention. and generous system of pensions
the work of that party. Union soldiers in
every rank and condition of life have been
preferred by the Republican party for local.
State and national Offices Can this be sal d
of the Democratic par ty2 The controlling ele-
ments OF that party look with prejudice upon
Union soldiers. and do not with rare exceptions,
confer upon them place and power Ten rebel
soldiers appointed to Office to one Union SOL
der. This administration has emphasized this
feeling in the most striking manner by appoint
ing the chief offices of the government. espe-
cially in the foreign service the most distin-
guished leaders of the rebel service More than
a majority of all the leading officers who
represent US in the diplomatic and consular
service abroad confederate soldiers
civilians. hold in my hand list of ninety one
persons ministers. consuls secretaries OF
legation, and the like in most of the chief
countries of the world, every one of whom
gained his distinction OF greater or less degree